Imisebenzi 23
1 UPhawuli wawujolozela umphakathi weSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, sengiwugcwalisile umlandu wami kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo eqotho kuze kube lamuhla.”
And when Paul had looked on the assembly of them, he said: Men, my brethren; I have lived in all good conscience before God up to this day.
2 Umphristi omkhulu, u-Ananiya, kwamcunula lokhu, watshela labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli ukuthi bamukule umlomo.
And Ananias, the priest, commanded those who stood by his side, to smite Paul on the mouth.
3 UPhawuli wathi kuye, “UNkulunkulu uzakumukula, wena mduli oconjwe ngekalaga emhlophe! Lapha uhlalele ukungahlulela ngomthetho, ikanti wena ngokwakho uyaweqa umthetho ngokulaya ukuthi ngitshaywe!”
And Paul said to him: God is here-after to smite thee, thou Whited Wall! For, sittest thou judging me agreeably to law, while thou transgressest the law, and commandest to smite me?
4 Labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli bathi, “Ulesibindi sokuthuka umphristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu wena?”
And those standing by, said to him: Dost thou reproach the priest of God!
5 UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Bazalwane, bengingazi ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Ungakhulumi okubi ngombusi wabantu bakini.’”
Paul said to them: I was not aware, my brethren, that he was the priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.
6 UPhawuli wayesazi ukuthi abanye babo babe ngamaSadusi, abanye bengabaFarisi, wasememeza phakathi kweSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, mina ngingumFarisi, indodana yomFarisi. Ngithoniselwa ukuthi ngilethemba lokuvuka kwabafileyo.”
And, as Paul knew that a part of the people were of the Sadducees, and a part of the Pharisees, he cried out, in the assembly: Men, my brethren; I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am judged.
7 Wathi ngokutsho lokhu, kwavuka umsindo phakathi kwabaFarisi lamaSadusi, umphakathi wasudabukana phakathi.
And when he had said this, the Pharisees and Sadducees fell upon one another, and the people were divided
8 (AmaSadusi athi kakulakuvuka ekufeni, lokuthi kakulazingilosi loba imimoya, kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma konke lokho ukuthi kukhona.)
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor a spirit: but the Pharisees confess all these.
9 Kwaba lokuxokozela okukhulu, kwathi abanye abafundisi bomthetho ababe ngabaFarisi basukuma bayidaza inkani. Bathi, “Kasiboni lutho olubi ngendoda le. Mhlawumbe umoya kumbe ingilosi ikhulume kuye ke?”
And there was great vociferation. And some Scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose up, and contended with them, and said. We have found nothing evil in this man: for if a spirit or an angel hath conversed with him, what is there in that?
10 Yavutha inkani umlawuli webutho waze wesaba ukuthi uPhawuli sebengamdabudabula. Waselaya amabutho ukuthi ahle amsuse kubo ngamandla amlethe enkambeni yamabutho.
And, as there was great commotion among them, the Chiliarch was afraid lest they should tear Paul in pieces. And he sent Romans, to go and pluck him from their midst, and bring him into the castle.
11 Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema eduze kukaPhawuli yathi, “Iba lesibindi! Njengoba usufakaze ngami eJerusalema, kusamele njalo uyofakaza eRoma.”
And when night came, our Lord appeared to Paul, and said to him: Be strong; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so also art thou to testify at Rome.
12 Ngosuku olulandelayo amaJuda abumba icebo njalo enza isifungo sokuthi kawayikudla kumbe anathe engakambulali uPhawuli.
And when it was morning, several of the Jews assembled together, and bound themselves by imprecations that they would neither eat nor drink until they had slain Paul.
13 Kwakungamadoda edlula amatshumi amane ayehambisana lalelocebo.
And they who had established this compact by oath, were more than forty persons.
14 Baya kubaphristi abakhulu labadala bathi, “Sesifunge ijoyi lokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPhawuli.
And they went to the priests and Elders, and said: We have bound ourselves by imprecations, that we will taste of nothing, until we shall have slain Paul.
15 Ngakho-ke lina leSanihedrini khalazani kumlawuli webutho ukuthi amlethe kini ngenhloso yokuthi lifuna ubufakazi obugcweleyo ngecala lakhe. Thina sesilungisile ukuthi simbulale engakafiki lapha.”
And now, do ye and the chiefs of the congregation request of the Chiliarch, that he would bring him unto you, as if ye were desirous to investigate truly his conduct: and we are prepared to slay him, ere he shall come to you.
16 Kodwa kwathi ukuba indodana kadadewabo kaPhawuli isilizwile lelicebo, yaya enkambeni yamabutho yayamtshela uPhawuli.
And the son of Paul's sister, heard of this plot: and he went into the castle, and informed Paul.
17 UPhawuli wasebiza omunye umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Hamba lejaha leli kumlawuli wamabutho; kukhona elifuna ukukutsho kuye.”
And Paul sent and called one of the centurions, and said to him: Conduct this youth to the Chiliarch; for he hath something to tell him.
18 Ngakho wasemusa kumlawuli. Umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Isibotshwa esinguPhawuli singibizile sangicela ukuthi ngilethe ijaha leli kuwe ngoba kukhona elifuna ukukutshela khona.”
And the centurion took the young man, and introduced him to the Chiliarch, and said: Paul the prisoner called me, and requested me to bring this youth to thee, for he hath something to tell thee.
19 Umlawuli wamthatha lowojaha, wambamba ngesandla waya laye eceleni, wambuza wathi, “Kuyini ofuna ukungitshela khona?”
And the Chiliarch took the young man by his hand, and led him one side, and asked him: What hast thou to tell me?
20 Wathi: “AmaJuda asevumelene ukuthi akucele wena ukuthi ulethe uPhawuli phambi kweSanihedrini kusasa ngenhloso yokuthi afuna ingcazelo epheleleyo mayelana laye.
And the young man said to him: The Jews have projected to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow to their assembly, as if wishing to learn something more from him.
21 Ungabavumeli ngoba abeqa amatshumi amane bawo bazamcathamela. Asenze isifungo sokuthi angadli njalo anganathi engakabulali uPhawuli. Kunje nje sebelungile, sebelindele imvumo yakho ngesicelo sabo.”
But be not thou persuaded by them: for, lo, more than forty persons of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound themselves by imprecations, that they will neither eat nor drink until they shall have slain him: and lo, they are prepared, and are waiting for thy promise
22 Umlawuli wathi kahambe umfana, wamqonqosela wathi, “Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi usungazisile ngalokhu.”
And the Chiliarch dismissed the young man, after charging him: Let no man know, that thou hast showed me these things.
23 Wasebiza abaphathi bebutho ababili wabalaya wathi, “Lungisani ixuku lamabutho angamakhulu amabili, abagadi bamabhiza abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa labangamakhulu amabili abahlome ngemikhonto ukuthi baye eKhesariya lamuhla ebusuku ngehola lesithathu.
And he called two centurions, and said to them: Go and prepare two hundred Romans to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and shooters with the right hand two hundred; and let them set out at the third hour of the night.
24 Lilungisele loPhawuli amabhiza ukuze asiwe kuMbusi uFelikhe evikelekile.”
And provide also a saddle beast, that they may set Paul on it, and carry him safely to Felix the governor.
25 Wabhala incwadi kanje:
And he wrote a letter and gave them, in which was, thus:
26 Klawudiyasi Lisiya, Kumhlekazi, uMbusi uFelikhe: Ngiyabingelela.
Claudius Lysias to the excellent governor Felix; greeting.
27 Indoda le yabanjwa ngamaJuda, okwathi esezama ukuyibulala ngafika lamabutho ami sayilamulela ngoba ngasengizwile ukuthi ingumRoma.
The Jews seized this man, in order to kill him; but I came with Romans, and rescued him, when I learned that he was a Roman.
28 Ngadinga ukwazi ukuthi ayesithi yoneni, yikho ngayiletha phambi kweSanihedrini yawo.
And as I wished to know the offence, for which they criminated him, I brought him to their assembly.
29 Ngezwa ukuthi icala layo laliphathelene lomlayo wawo, kodwa kwasweleka icala elingafanela ukufa loba ukugwetshelwa entolongweni.
And I found, that it was about questions of their law they accused him, and that an offence worthy of bonds or of death, was not upon him.
30 Ngithe sengilunywe indlebe ngecebo lokuyibulala ngahle ngayedlulisela kuwe. Ngiphinde ngatshela omayimangalela ukuthi bazokwethula kuwe abamangalela ngakho.
And when the wiles of a plot formed by the Jews against him came to my knowledge, I forthwith sent him to thee. And I have directed his accusers, to go and contend with him, before thee. Farewell.
31 Ngakho amabutho azilandela lezo ziqondiso amthatha uPhawuli ebusuku ayamfikisa e-Antiphatri.
Then the Romans, as they had been commanded, took Paul by night, and brought him to the city of Antipatris.
32 Ngosuku olulandelayo amabutho amtshiya leqembu labagade amabhiza ukuthi liqhubeke laye, bona babuyela enkambeni.
And the next day, the horsemen dismissed the footmen their associates, that they might return to the castle.
33 Kwathi abamabhiza sebefikile eKhesariya bayethula incwadi kumbusi loPhawuli laye bamnikela kuye.
And they brought him to Caesarea: and they delivered the letter to the governor, and set Paul before him.
34 Umbusi wayibala incwadi wambuza ukuthi wayedabuka kusiphi isifunda. Esezwile ukuthi wayengoweSilisiya,
And when he had read the letter, he asked him of what province he was? And when he learned that he was of Cilicia,
35 Wathi, “Icala lakho ngizalihlola nxa labo abakumangalelayo sebefikile lapha.” Waselaya ukuthi uPhawuli agcinwe elindiwe esigodlweni sikaHerodi.
he said to him: I will give thee audience, when thy accusers arrive. And he ordered him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.
